Spock Mutinies & Loses His Mind

We've taken the voyages of the starship Enterprise one adventure further with a series of original movie-style art print sets commemorating every episode of Star Trek, the iconic American television series that aired from 1966 to 1969.

The Original Series has become a cult classic, and its leading-edge plot lines and mores have influenced many science-fiction TV shows and movies that have followed.

Designer/illustrator Juan Ortiz talks about the inspiration for our tenth set of Star Trek: The Original Series Art Prints, which includes:

Episode 11: The Menagerie, Part 1. "I wanted something bold, yet recognizable," says Ortiz of this print for this episode in which Spock kidnaps the severely disabled Captain Christopher Pike, hijacks the Enterprise and later surrenders for court martial. "Captain Pike in his chair is well known to fans, and it's an image that evokes a sense of sadness and horror," Ortiz adds.

Episode 55: Assignment: Earth. For this episode about the Enterprise's trip back in time and encounter with mysterious traveler trying to interfere with 20th century events, this art print start out as 1940s poster for a serial film. Ortiz comments, "It ended up having more of a 1970s punk-band feel." The artist offers some interesting background information: "'Assignment: Earth' was a backdoor pilot for what would have been a new TV series, created by Gene Roddenberry, that was never made. Teri Garr and Robert Lansing would have both starred in it. My guess is it would have been an American version of Doctor Who. The Desilu logo on top was in keeping with the serial theme."

Episode 56: Spock's Brain. The complexity of Spock's mind erupts in this print for a storyline in which Spock's brain is stolen by a beautiful young woman. Ortiz went for colorful, expansive imagery to show the vastness of the science officer's knowledge. He says, "It had to be big in order to convey that. The idea came from watching hours of Monty Python's Flying Circus as a kid."

Episode 74: Requiem for Methuselah. Seeking a cure for a deadly plague that infects the crew, the Enterprise finds a recluse named Flint, his sheltered ward and a robot servant on a supposedly uninhabited planet. In this episode, Flint miniaturizes the Enterprise in order to prevent the ship from leaving and revealing his existence. Ortiz depicts Flint clutching the Enterprise. "It shows off his power and makes him more god-like," says Ortiz. "I wanted to convey his confidence and strength in his stance and his stare."

The set and all others in the series will be available for a limited time only. None will be repeated or reprinted after they're gone.